The (Your Name Here) Act

Not sure what to name your bill?

Here's a well-worn technique: Name it for someone.

So far this session, three bills have been introduced in the legislature that are named for people or animals:

Davie's Law/Humane Euthanasia in Shelters: Prohibits animal shelters from using gas chambers for euthanasia. Named for a puppy who survived a gas chamber and was found in the Davie County landfill.

Jeanne Hopkins Lucas Act: Allows Durham police and sheriff's deputies to increase their retirement pension if they have received certain training. Named for a Durham state senator who died in 2007.

The Terri Schiavo Act: Studies whether the Department of Motor Vehicles should ask drivers whether they have a living will. Named for a Florida woman with brain damage who became the center of a national fight.

For this technique to work, it generally requires a certain level of awareness of the namesake to work. Both Davie and Terri Schiavo have been in the news, while Lucas was a former colleague of many legislators.